Friday, January 19, 2018

National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Jason Aquino assured the public that the agency will continue to sell rice at the government prescribed price of P27/kilogram (kg) for the regular milled variety and P32/kg for the well-milled variety.

The NFA issued this assurance in the wake of speculations that rice prices may be affected by the increase in fuel prices under the new tax reform law.

At the same time, Aquino has directed the agency’s finance and operations departments to conduct a cost analysis of any impact of the new tax law on the price of rice.

“As watchdog of national food security, the NFA’s role is to make rice, our basic staple, available, accessible and affordable in any part of the country at all times,” Aquino said.

The NFA administrator also issued a warning to rice traders not to take advantage of the ongoing speculations by unduly increasing prices. “The NFA implements rice trading rules and regulations, therefore we can sanction any traders who will be violating our laws,” Aquino said.

He urged the public to help the agency in continuously monitoring illegal activities in the grains trade such as rice overpricing.